Ultimately, Unreal's story is not one of stopping the Skaarj menace and playing the hero. It is a melancholic tale in a world we are powerless to save: every human we meet is already dead, and every Nali we meet is never far away from danger. We're only ever saving our own skin, destroying an alien base and then fleeing the crime scene in search of another way off this wretched paradise. Tonally, it's much closer to Fallout 3 or Dark Souls than the "M-M-M-MONSTER KILL" hijinks of Unreal Tournament. Sometimes, as we wander around a deserted cargo bay waiting to be ambushed by an enemy hiding in the dark, it is more reminiscent of a survival-horror game than a shooter. And that's fitting because you're only just surviving Unreal, never conquering or mastering it."

The portions posted on the Five Out of Ten website appear as though they examine many of the levels in detail, pointing out a few of the design decisions that helped to propel Unreal into a category of games that deserves a spot among the very best. The magazine is reported to be going on sale today and we hope to bring you more.